BWI Unions Call for Investigation into the Appointment of Airport CEO

Controversy over Ricky Smith’s appointment should lead to reform, say
five unions representing workers at BWI

November 04, 2015 09:00 AM Eastern Standard Time

BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Labor unions representing workers at Baltimore Washington International
Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI) are calling on the State of Maryland to
investigate the appointment of Ricky Smith as BWI’s CEO after troubling
information has emerged about his record at Cleveland Hopkins
International Airport.

The Hogan administration appointed Ricky Smith as executive director of
the Maryland Aviation Administration (MAA), which runs BWI, in July.
Just months after his appointment, news broke that the Federal Aviation
Administration (FAA) had imposed $735,000 in fines against the City of
Cleveland for not adequately staffing snow removal teams at Cleveland
Hopkins International Airport while Mr. Smith was that airport’s
director.

The unions—AFSCME Council 3, UNITE HERE Local 7, IUOE Local 37, CWA
Local 2252 and the Teamsters—are concerned about their work environment
if understaffing becomes an issue at BWI, but they are even more
troubled by the ramifications for passenger safety. The FAA found that
Cleveland Hopkins Airport had serious safety issues with the airport’s
runways, did not close off parts of runways that were not safe, and
failed to notify airlines of runway problems.

The unions are calling on the leaders of the Maryland General Assembly
to investigate the appointment of Ricky Smith as an immediate action
item and to reform the process to require legislative oversight over
such appointments going forward. Currently the selection of executive
director of the MAA does not require legislative confirmation.

“This is too important of a position for the selection to happen behind
closed doors,” said Patrick Moran, President of AFSCME State Council 3,
the union that represents 25,0000 Maryland State employees, including
workers at BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport. “A confirmation process in the
Maryland legislature would have brought the runway safety issues to
light and would have given the people of Maryland a chance to learn more
about Ricky Smith’s record and qualifications.”

Also of concern to BWI’s unions is an allegation of retaliation against
a whistle-blower at Cleveland Hopkins who says he helped to bring some
of the staffing problems to light. According to a complaint filed with
the Department of Labor by Abdul-Malik Ali, the former manager of field
maintenance at Hopkins, he was demoted the day after he reported the
staffing issues to the FAA.

Communications Workers of America Local 2252 represents workers at
American Airlines at BWI Thurgood Marshall International Airport (BWI),
Regan National Airport and Dulles International Airport.

AFSCME State Council 3 represents 25,000 Maryland state employees,
including workers at BWI.

UNITE HERE Local 7 represents Maryland workers in the hospitality and
food service industry including in-flight catering and concessions
workers at BWI.